JNPT to invest US$1.8bn in port development

The plan calls for the development of a fourth terminal at the port, an extension of Terminal One, deepening and widening harbour channels and the acquisition of three ship to shore quay cranes and six RTGs.

When fully developed, the capacity of the fourth container terminal and marine chemical terminal will be 4.4m teu and 15m tonnes of liquid cargo. The development project includes extending the container berth towards the north side of Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) by 330 m and increasing annual capacity by 600,000 teu.

The harbour channel will be dredged to accommodate vessels up to a draught of 14 m with 6,000 teu capacity using the tidal window. Work on the first phase is expected to start in the beginning of 2008 with completion within 27 months of awarding the contract.

Three super post-Panamax ship to shore cranes are scheduled for delivery by April 2008, and two old units will be moved to the Shallow Water Berth. Six RTGs are scheduled for delivery in 2009.

On completion of these development plans, the port will be able to handle 10m teu by 2015-16. JNP handles about 60% of total container traffic handled by all ports in India, and ranks 25th among Container Management’s World Top Container Ports. In financial year 2006-07, JNP handled 44.81m tonnes including 3.3m teu.